In an inadvertent nod to the existential themes of his film "Drive," Ryan Gosling says he needs a break from himself.

The 32-year-old Canadian actor says he plans to step away from acting in upcoming months.

"I've been doing it too much. I've lost perspective on what I'm doing," Gosling told the Associated Press. "I think it's good for me to take a break and reassess why I'm doing it and how I'm doing it. And I think this is probably a good way to learn about that."

He added, "There's a lot of pressure to be the lead of the film," and it's not his favorite way to work.

In the past three years, it has also been his most prevalent way to work: from "Blue Valentine" to "Drive" to "Ides of March" to "Gangster Squad."

He shares the spotlight in "The Place Beyond the Pines" — opening in limited release March 29 — in which he plays a motorcycle racer alongside Bradley Cooper's corrupt police officer, struggling with hard moral choices.

After that, the former Mickey Mouse Club member will appear in "Only God Forgives," helmed by "Drive" director Nicolas Winding Refn and due out in May. Gosling is then making his directorial debut, with "How to Catch a Monster."

Last year, Gosling had an internet meme involving photos that carried would-be messages from him, prefaced by the words "Hey girl." The meme spread to reference U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) and Newark Mayor Cory Booker.